Hold on
by amelinasa
Summary: So, when she heard a soft "click" under her foot, she froze instantly. She knew that noise. It was the nightmare of every soldier, and unfortunately, many of them didn't hear it until the blast knocked them off of their feet, killing them or crippling them.
1. Chapter 1

The wonderful fiction of WildCat Abby (if you haven't read it, just go do it!) and a Bones fiction I've read a long time ago, inspired me this one.

I hope you'll love it and reviews always make my day :D

(I'm almost done with the next chapter of Breath, I've been struggling with my English and with how to end the chapter!)

 _Afghanistan, Nuristan Province._

Jaz never missed a noise. She was a ninja after all. Nothing escaped her.

So, when she heard a soft "click" under her foot, she froze instantly. She knew that noise. It was the nightmare of every soldier, and unfortunately, many of them didn't hear it until the blast knocked them off of their feet, killing them or crippling them.

She had to stay still, even if her position and the weight of her equipment were not comfortable.

The others were still walking in the area, they hadn't noticed yet. They were somewhere in a forest, at the east of Afghanistan, near Pakistanis border. The Taliban were nearby and they had to be fast enough to evacuate after a hard, but successful mission.

"Guys…"

They turned around, and she could see them frowning at how immobile and tense she was.

"Jaz? What's wrong?" Top asked.

"I can't move…"

"What do you mean you can't move?" McG asked.

She saw blood draining from Top's face as he understood what was happening. He took a step towards her. It was instinctive.

"No! Don't move! Don't come closer!" Jaz exclaimed urgently, panicked at the idea of Top being killed with her. He stopped and forced himself to breath slowly. He met her big panicked eyes and nodded calmly.

"Okay, Jaz, don't move, just... Just don't move..."

"Fuck!" McG shouted when he understood.

"Okay, guys, I need you, the Taliban aren't far behind…"

"Roger that…" Amir said.

Both him and McG settled to provide overwatch, but kept glancing at her with concern.

"Everybody, just stay calm, okay? We have to figure out what to do… And Jaz, stay still…"

She had never seen Top look that terrified. She had seen him afraid, a few times, like when they got her back from Iran, or when they had come to the base to find the hut destroyed, Preach almost dead, and Hoffman gone… But never the pure terror she could see all over his face at that very moment.

"Not planning to dance right now, Top, believe me..." she breathed, trying to lighten the mood.

Top didn't smile, his jaw was tense, he ran a shaking hand across his beard.

"Preach?"

The man had already crouched at her feet, staying at distance but assessing how bad it was.

And by the look he gave her, it was very bad.

"Not good, Top, not good at all..."

"Can we switch her with something that could..."

'No, Top, we can't, the second she moves, it's going to blow..."

She saw Top swallowing hard. She didn't want to die, but she'd rather die alone than be responsible for her team's death. She took a deep breath, mustering the courage to send them away.

"Top, you have to leave..."

She was relieved that her voice remained steady. She couldn't break down, not when she could kill them in a blink.

"No, we're not leaving you..."

"Top, we're somewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban are behind and can find us anytime if we don't move... And since I can't move, you have to go!"

Top shook his head, staring at her with disbelief.

"No fucking way, Jaz, do you hear me?"

She saw the looks the rest of the guys exchanged. And not for the first time, she wondered if he had been reacting that bad when she had been taken in Iran.

Top ignored them and looked at her straight in the eye, sending a shiver in her spine at how intense he was.

"We're not leaving without you, okay Jaz? You have to hold on, because no matter what, you're coming home with us"

She couldn't talk, her throat so tight she was barely breathing. So she nodded. Top nodded back and took a few steps back to call the DIA.

Jaz looked at him, at how pale and angry and determined he looked while probably asking for reinforcements. She was aware of that something between them, even if they couldn't name it, she knew she had never felt that way. But she knew that he was willing to protect her no matter what, because she would do the same.

"Preach..."

"It's gonna be okay Jaz..."

She looked at him.

"I have my foot on a fucking anti-personnel mine somewhere in Afghanistan…" she replied dryly.

He shrugged apologetically.

"And I thought that you had a quote for every situation" she mocked him. Her smile faded quickly.

"Preach… You have to leave, you know that... We don't have time for a team to come and work to defuse the mine..."

"Jaz..."

"No, listen, you have to convince him, he'll listen to you..."

Preach smiled sadly.

"He's not leaving your side, you know that, don't you? No one, not me, not even Patricia, will be able to convince him... He'll do everything to send us home safe and sound, but he'll stay with you..."

Jaz wanted to shake her head furiously, to move her hands. She was used to speak with her whole body. Being still wasn't like her.

« This is suicide, Preach, we all know it! If the Taliban don't kill us first, there are still high probabilities that it will explode or that whoever is coming won't be able to diffuse it in time…"

"Would you leave him?"

Jaz opened her mouth to retort, but no sound came out.

"Would you leave him there, if the roles were reversed, Jaz?"

She averted her eyes and huffed.

"I hate you sometimes…" she muttered, making Preach laugh.

Top came back to them.

« Okay, command is sending us a team, based in Pakistan, not far away… The thing is they'll have to join us on foot… "

"Top…" she started.

But he stopped her, raising a hand.

"Jaz, stop. Just…"

He licked his lips, taking a deep breath through his nose, his eyes not leaving hers.

"Hold on, it's an order."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, thank you for the reviews! Each of them made me so happy!**

 **I've been working on this chapter for days! I decided to cut it in two parts (or more, I'm not done yet with the second part) because days are busy and I don't want to make you wait too long…**

 **There is not much action in this one, more emotion and feelings, but I hope you'll like it!**

 _ **1 hour later**_

Adam wanted to hit something. Or someone. Like that son of a bitch who put anti-personnel mines in the area. He had seen far too many people, innocents, children, killed or wounded because of it. He had been pissed then, but he realized how different and selfish his anger was when the person he cared the most about was directly involved.

"Jaz, you okay?" asked Preach, still crouching and analyzing the mine.

"Peachy. I would be better without McG harassing me with his bottle of water though…"

"I'm not harassing you! You have to stay hydrated!" McG scolded.

"If I get more hydrated than I am right now, I'll pee myself"

Then she added with a smirk.

"And you very know how humiliating it would be, right?"

"Come on, Jaz, not again! It was like more than a year ago! And I was drunk!" he moaned, his eyes still scanning the forest.

"Anyway, it can't happen, or I'll have to kill you… Remember, I'm a snipper…"

Amir and Preach laughed heartily, while Mcg snorted, a smile playing on his lips.

Jaz smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. She was putting a brave face but she was terrified, she could feel sweat running in her back. She had to be strong if she wanted the guys to save their lives.

She watched Top pacing a few feet away from her.

"Do you believe in fate?" Preach asked her.

She rolled her eyes.

"You know I don't. There are shitty circumstances, bad choices, but nothing like fate…"

"Sometimes, fate isn't about facts, but about how you're feeling inside…"

"Now, I wish I could walk away…" she joked.

"You can't always control how you're feeling, you can control the job you want, you can choose to watch or not a movie, but you can't control your feelings… And it's a good thing. Then, you have to decide if you want to let the circumstances control something you can't even control yourself…"

She huffed. She wasn't stupid, she knew to what he referred. She casted an eye in Top's direction.

She knew he was determined to save her, and she hated how helpless she was feeling. She also knew that she would do the same. But it didn't mean it was a good thing.

He could feel her glancing at him, but he kept staring in the distance. Every time he was looking at her, he felt panic bubbling in his chest, and he had to keep it at bay if he wanted to get his team, all of them, back home alive. His phone rang.

"Tell me you have good news Noah..."

"Well, the Taliban are just a few miles east from your position, but the good news is that they don't know you're here..."

"Okay, if that's the good news, I'm not sure to want to know about the bad news…"

"Reinforcements are coming to help your secure the area, but the deminer had been wounded a few days ago, and another one had been called, but it will take a few hours to..."

"We don't have a few hours! This thing can blow off anytime! Jaz is exhausted, we have to do something!"

"We know captain... Director Campbell is actually trying to get the Pakistan Government help"

Top closed his eyes. The nightmare was getting worse and he couldn't do a single thing about it. The lump in his throat was just bigger and he had to swallow hard to ease it.

"How is Sergeant Khan doing?"

"Like someone who has a foot on a bomb..."

"Right... Er... We're keeping you in touch..."

"Copy..."

He looked at Jaz. She was livid and he could see sweat on her forehead. He raised his eyebrows when he saw how she was glaring at him.

"Preach, can you give us a second, I'd like to talk to Top..."

Preach stood and glanced at their captain.

"No problem Jaz..."

He stepped away, exchanging knowing looks with Amir and McG.

"How are you feeling?" asked Adam, knowing what she wanted to do and trying to elude.

"My leg hurts, and I'm exhausted..." she said quietly.

"You have to hold on, Jaz, we're going to get you out of there..." he almost begged.

"I'm trying, but Top…"

He shook his head. He didn't want her to give up, he wouldn't let go, he couldn't.

"There is a chance that I'm not coming back…"

Her voice wavered but she kept talking.

"I'm a snipper, I can stand still like this for longer than you guys would be able to, but at some point, my body will fail me…"

"You're coming home with us!"

"Top…Being in the team, it was the best thing that could happen to me…"

"No. No, no goodbyes! You can't think like that Jaz!"

"Top, all of you being here with me is suicide... You have to go, you know you have to... We could set up a trap for the Taliban, I could take them with me..."

It was like a punch to the gut.

"Have you lost your mind?" he growled.

He wanted to close his hands around her arms and to shake her. How could she act that careless, as if her life didn't matter!

"Top, think strategically and let me do that, let me go that way, don't take that from me… I can't have you die because of me, don't do that to me!"

The mere idea of letting her go was physically painful and he almost suffocated at how hard it was to handle.

"We don't leave anyone behind…" he managed to say.

"And I'm grateful for how loyal and trustworthy you are, all of you, but the facts are what they are!"

"You're not a strategy, Jaz…"

He ran a hand on his face, emotionally drained. Keeping a hold on his feelings when the object of those named feelings was in danger was exhausting.

"You're not just a plan, okay… We… I… We care about you, okay, and your life matters… You have to believe it Jaz, don't give up, please, trust me… I don't care about the Taliban, I just need you to come home with us… "

His voice chocked at the last words, and Jaz felt tears burning her eyes. It was the closest he had never been to acknowledge that thing between them. His piercing blue eyes searched hers.

"I don't want to die… " she finally whispered, not trusting her voice.

That sick bastard of Arthur had been right. She wanted more, she wanted to be loved, she wanted a family. She wanted Adam. So bad. And acknowledging it was equally new and hard and scary.

Adam had to clench his fists to stop himself from touching her, from gathering her in his arms. He stood as close as he could. Three little words were dancing at the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't, not when she was that vulnerable. He didn't want to freak her out when she was standing on a mine.

"You're not going to die, Jaz, okay, I won't allow it…"

It was ridiculous, he knew it. He couldn't predict what was going to happen, especially when the situation was that bad, but the only possible option was to keep her safe.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hey you guys!**_

 _ **Thank you for the support and the reviews. I apologize for any mistakes, I use my spelling corrector but it's probably not fool-proof.**_

 _ **2 hours later.**_

"Hey, hey Jaz…"

Adam's panicked voice made her open her eyes. She licked her dried lips and sighed.

"I'm just tired… I can't feel my leg…"

Adam ran his hands in his hair and swore.

"Jaz, they're trying to figure out how to help as fast as possible…"

He looked at the sky, as if asking whatever mighty authority up there to do something.

"It's not fast enough…" said Preach.

Jaz was slightly shaking, and they could all see how drained she was.

"You all have families, Preach, you have daughters, I don't want to be responsible for your death…"

Her voice was hoarse, but determined.

"You're family, Jaz…"

"I know McG, but your mother needs you… Amir, you have your parents… Top…"

"Stop."

"Think about it… You have a family…"

"STOP!"

He almost shouted, which was a bad idea when enemies were not far away. He gritted his teeth, feeling anger and desperation boiling in his chest.

"You don't get to decide, okay? I'm the captain, and I forbid you to believe that your death would be okay! It wouldn't be okay! I will never be okay with you dead, never, I can't! "

Jaz was staring at him, her mouth open, caught off guard by his outburst.

Amir cleared his throat and walked away, followed by McG. Preach smiled but didn't say a word while stepping away.

"Top…" she whispered.

"I can't lose you…" he whispered back.

She looked away. That feeling was strange to her. She had felt loved with Elijah, then McG and Preach, but with Top, it was just ten times stronger, more intense, overpowering.

"I don't want you to die, I need you to live, to remember me, if you don't, who will?"

It was painful to hear how alone she felt, when she didn't understand that there would be no coming back for him if anything happened to her. It was quite ironic, considering the nature of their job.

"It can't end like that…"

"We're soldiers…"

"Years ago, a friend had to disarm a mine… I was there… maybe we can do something ourselves?"

"That's crazy, even for you…"

He turned around and dialed the DIA.

"Captain Dalton, I was going to call you…" Patricia said.

"Do you have good news?" he asked eagerly.

"Not really. Captain…"

He recognize her tone, she had the same when she had told him to leave Iran.

"I'm not leaving without Jaz."

At that very moment, he didn't care if he was overstepping his function. He heard her sigh.

"Then, what can I do for you?"

OoOoOoOoO

"I should do it…"

"Preach, we already had this conversation. You have kids, you're not doing this… McG, Amir and you are going to deploy, far enough not to be injured if things turn wrong… If they do, you have to join the Pakistanis border, a team will be waiting for you."

Preach nodded grimly and went to join Jaz, while Amir and McG protested.

"Wait Top…"

"No, we're not just leaving!"

"That's an order." Adam said firmly. "Look, I understand your reservations, but as your captain, I'm asking you to go…"

Amir looked at him, and then nodded grudgingly, his lips pursed. McG shook his head.

"There has to be another way!"

"We don't have time to think about anything else. Have a little faith and be ready, if you make it out of there alive, Jaz might need you."

"Did she agree with that?"

Adam looked in her direction. She was quiet, while Preach was talking to her. Of course she didn't, but he would not give her a choice.

"Be careful out there, there are probably other mines…"

Both men nodded and went to talk to Jaz. Adam watched them from afar. He knew how hard it was for them to leave, they were a family and it had been heartbreaking enough to lose Elijah. But he would never ask them to stay when he perfectly knew how bad the situation was.

Preach stopped talking when Adam came to them. The older man squeezed his friend's shoulder and followed the others.

Jaz bit her lower lip and looked at him. They locked their eyes but he didn't flinch. He wasn't leaving her.

"When I was held in Tehran…" she started quietly.

He stilled, waiting for her to go on.

"He showed me pictures… Of you guys… Of you, Top, dead. I know you know that, but after beating me…"

He winced. He would never get used to the idea of her being hurt.

"… and showing me those pictures, he asked me if I wanted to find love, to have a family…"

Adam was like mesmerized by her deep voice and her big eyes. She hesitated and pursed her lips in that stubborn way of her. Like every time she was fighting any emotion she might be feeling.

"I never thought I wanted a family, until they took me out of the white room… I've never been family material, you know, but I thought I was going to die… Then I realized that I would never find out if I was able to have a family of my own…"

"Jaz…"

His voice was hoarse with emotion. She shook slightly her head, to stop him.

"I… I might die today… But I want you to have a chance… …I didn't want to have children because my parents failed me, but… But then I met you, and you're nothing like your father, Top, you're the best man I've ever met, you have to know that, you deserve a chance to have a family"

He ignored the ache in his chest and clenched his fists.

"You listen to me, Jaz. I AM NOT LEAVING. Do you hear me? I can't leave you, I would never forgive myself. I need you Jaz, I can't… There are things I can't say, I'm your CO, and you deserve options… But no matter what, I'm not leaving, okay?"

It was all coming out wrong, but she seemed to understand. Like she always did. She looked at him for a moment, her lips quivering, her eyes bigger and more terrified than he had ever seen. She looked small, and vulnerable, and that was so out of character for her.

"Okay…" she whispered.

He nodded and kneeled beside her. He cleared his throat before calling back DIA.

"Okay, Noah, what did you find?"

"Well, this type of landmine is supposed to explode when you raise your foot from it. Most of the mines explode immediately… In her misfortune, Jaz is lucky…"

Adam didn't even want to think about how worse it could have been, with Jaz hurt, or worse. The idea made him sick.

"Can you see the landmine?"

Adam looked at the rocky ground.

"Negative… "

"You'll have to dig around her foot, but be careful…"

"Copy."

He took his knife and began to dig with it. Luckily, it had rained the days before, the ground wasn't too hard.

"You might die..."

"I know..."

"It's a horrible way to die..."

"I'm not leaving you alone... Besides, you could have a little more faith in my skills..."

She chuckled lightly.

"It's just... I'm not used to this..."

He raised his head and looked into her eyes.

"To be loved?"' he asked softly.

She didn't answer but he could read her, like always.

"You better get used to it... Because you are..."

Another step in that unknown territory they had been avoiding for years.

He focused again on digging, until he could see the landmine. He sat on his heels and analyzed the trigger, at least what he could see of it under Jaz's foot. He heard her take an intake of breath and raised his eyes. She was biting her lip, obviously in pain.

"Jaz?"

"My leg hurts… I need to move…"

"You can't!" he said urgently. "You have to hold on… Noah?"

"Since you can't put back the safety, you'll have to remove the detonator… Can you see it?"

Dalton had to lie on the ground to have a look under Jaz's foot.

"Positive…"

"Okay… You have to be very careful, there are five wires, you'll have to cut the two ones on the left…"

"Copy…" he muttered, focused on removing the protection metallic cover.

"Okay, I can see the wires…"

He took his clamp.

"I'm going to cut the two on the left…"

"WAIT…"

His head snapped up from the landmine. Jaz was panting, tears barely hold.

"Disconnect your line…"

"Jaz…"

"Please, do it…"

He nodded, not leaving her eyes. She closed and opened her mouth many times, looking hopeless and out of her mind with fear. Then, she recognized the way her face changed. She had set up her mind.

"I… I…"

It wasn't easy for her. To let anyone in, to deal with the overwhelming storm of emotions. But Adam was in. She didn't know how, she didn't know when, but she knew that he had become the most important person in her life. Someone she could admire, someone who respected her as a soldier. Ironically, the only person she felt able to fall in love with was also her CO, which made things impossible. Yet, rules didn't make feelings just disappear. And years of fighting side by side, of building trust and longing, made things more obvious than ever.

She looked at his blue eyes, confused and worried, and took a deep breath. She could fight a whole army, but dealing with feelings and wrapping them in three little words just petrified her with fear.

But she could die. He could die.

The possibility had never been that real.

"I love you."


	4. Chapter 4

Dalton was pretty sure his heart had stopped. But at the same time, as he was staring into her big deep eyes, he could hear the blood rushing in his ears. His heart hadn't stopped after all. He had never felt so alive actually.

 _I love you._

He hadn't dared to imagine her saying these words one day, he had always thought that he would be the first to say them, probably to have her fleeing as far away from him as possible.

 _I love you._

She was now avoiding looking at him, probably taking his silence for rejection rather than the bewilderment he was in. But emotions were spinning out of control in his chest, and he couldn't clear his head enough to react. She loved him, and he was amazed, and happy, and confused, and so afraid.

He heard her take a deep breath and when he focused on her expression, he could see how her eyes had hardened, her mouth firm, and he was pretty sure she would have crossed her arms as if trying to protect herself, if she wasn't stuck on a landmine.

"You don't have to say anything…" she said curtly, "I just wanted to tell you how I feel in case I…"

"No goodbyes…"

His voice was hoarse and he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. He took a step closer and could see the look of fear crossing her face. He raised his hand to her cheek, lingering there without touching her. She could feel the heat of his hand roaming on her face, on her neck, on her arm. It made her want to squirm so that he would be touching her. She closed her eyes and swallowed.

"No good byes, Jaz, because you'll still be here tomorrow, and because I don't want anything affecting your judgement."

She frowned at him, clearly unpleased.

"When you were taken in Tehran… I had to make choices… The logical one, the one dictated by the protocol, was to leave… But we couldn't… I couldn't… I took unconsidered risks, my feelings were clouding my judgment… I don't regret it, but I don't want you to rush into something you're not ready for…"

"Stop patronizing me, I'm not a child!"

It was going so wrong. It wasn't supposed to turn into an argument, especially when one single move could kill them both.

"I didn't mean…"

"I know what you mean!" she huffed impatiently.

It was typical Adam. Unable to believe that he could actually be loved, trying to protect people from himself, from the dark side he told her about a few months ago.

She had seen his dark side, whenever one of them had been threatened. She knew how far he was willing to go to protect and to save the people he cared about. And she was alive because of it. And the love she felt included every part of him. Even the darkest ones.

They were both strong, independent and damaged by a tough childhood. He should know how difficult it was for her.

"I… You know how hard it is for me to say these words, and… And you just…"

Her eyes welling up, she bit her lips. She wasn't going to cry over rejection like a greedy teenager, she would rather pee herself than let her CO see her tears. It was humiliating enough to have him rejecting her.

Dalton cursed in his beard. There was so much he wanted to tell her. She opened her eyes to see how tortured he looked, she sensed how agitated he was.

He was terrified, and he didn't do terrified very well. He had already shot a man because of that feeling. What if telling her his feelings acted like a curse on them? What if they died both? What if they survived? Then what? Would they be able to make things work, despite him being her CO? What if they get caught and she was sent to another team? Would he be able to see her going on missions with another CO, not knowing if she was safe and alive for days or weeks, months even. He would go crazy in no time. But she deserved honesty, and she deserved to be loved beyond words, and she deserved to be respected as the gifted soldier she was.

"It's okay, Top. You don't have to say anything… You…"

"I love you."

She opened her mouth, but not sound came out. Her eyes were wide and incredulous.

"Jaz, I love you so fucking much…" he whispered loud enough for her to hear. His eyes searched hers, as if trying to convince her.

"I don't want it to be a goodbye, I don't want it to be the end. Okay? I need you to believe in me…"

"You love me?" she asked hesitantly.

It was hard to process the fact that the man she had loved for years was actually feeling the same. Of course, she had had boyfriends, some of them had fallen in love with her, only to have her running away when the L word was on the table. But she didn't want to run away anymore. Actually, she wanted to put her arms around him, and to never let go. That was so foreign to her.

"So bloody much… We have to sort things out… I'm still your CO and it won't be simple… But not now, not when we are both afraid, okay?"

She licked her lips and couldn't stop a smile. Dalton smiled too, wishing he could touch her and gather her in his arms.

"We have to get you out of here, okay?"

She nodded almost imperceptibly. He nodded back and switched on his coms.

"Captain Dalton?" came Noah's panicked voice.

"Sorry, the signal is bad here…"

"O… Okay…"

«I'm going to cut the wires... »

He could feel tension coming like hot waves from Jaz. She was terrified, so was he. He raised his eyes to find hers tightly shut, the smile gone from her face. Despite the weather being cold, she could feel sweat running along her back.

« Hey... it's gonna be okay... »

He focused on keeping his hands from shaking. He remembered that plane in Columbia, how hard it had been to stop shaking. Only this time, he had so much more than his life to lose. He could lose the woman he loved more than anything in the world. He could die without knowing how her lips tasted. How she felt in his arms. And he couldn't stand the thought.  
He swallowed and stared at the two wires.

He cut.

And nothing happened. Nothing telling them it was disarmed, but at least, they were still alive. He heard Noah sighing with relief. He let out the breath he was holding and stood up slowly.

"It's over Jaz, you can move your foot, but slowly... "

She didn't move but she opened her eyes.

"Jaz... " 

"Are you one hundred percent sure it's disarmed? "

Her voice was hoarse and tense. He frowned.

"We can't be sure until you move... "

"You have to go... "

"Jaz? What... "

"It still could blow up. You go, I move "

"We already has this conversation!" he said angrily.

"You go, I move" she repeated stubbornly.

"Damn it, Jaz!" he snapped.

"Dalton, she might be right, it's a miracle it hadn't blown up, you have done everything to save her, you have to step away in case it's not disarmed…" Patricia said firmly in his ears.

He turned away, frowning.

"I'm not leaving her…" he hissed.

"Look, I get it, but Captain, you still have a team…"

"They have the order to leave the country in case things turn wrong…"

"You still have a family too…"

It was a low blow, he knew she knew that, but he couldn't blame her for trying.

"If Jaz gets injured, you won't be able to help her if you get injured too… McG is good, but it will be impossible for him to tend the two of you while in a hostile area…"

She was right, of course she was.

"Top…"

"Adam… Just… Just Adam…"

His vulnerable blue eyes made her speechless for a few seconds.

"Adam…" she whispered, relishing the way his name sounded in her mouth.

"They are right… You did everything you can, you have to step away now…"

He took a step closer, shaking his head.

"It's going to be okay…"

She smiled forcefully and nodded slightly.

"Then, we'll talk, okay?"

"Yes…"

He mouthed "I love you" silently and stepped back, each step away from her digging a hole in his chest. When he was far enough, he stopped and waited.

Jaz took a deep breath and moved her toes in her shoe. Her leg was hurting, she wasn't even sure to be able to move. Her heart was beating madly, but she wasn't a patient person. So she closed her eyes tight and lifted her foot. She didn't have the time to process that nothing exploded, that she was still alive, her legs gave up under her and she collapsed.

"Jaz!"

Dalton ran and kneeled beside her, gathering her on his laps.

"McG, we need you! Jaz, can you hear me?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine… "

He looked at her, weak, beyond exhausted, but so very much alive, and he had never felt that grateful. He let her sit on her own but stayed on the ground with her, staring at her as if she might disappear. He came closer and cut off his cam and coms. He put a hand on her neck, his fingers tangling in her hair, and rested his forehead against hers.

They were both sweaty, covered with dust, and fear was still coursing in their veins. But they didn't mind.

She raised a shaking hand to grab his vest.

"Say it again…" she whispered.

He lifted her chin, searching her eyes for any hesitation or regret.

He could only see relief, astonishment, and love. He put his lips on her and almost moaned at the sensation. It was so much more than whatever he had imagined those past three years. She tasted like nothing he had tasted before, she tasted like Jaz and it was intoxicating. She was kissing him back, slowly, lovingly, reverently. He deepened the kiss, feeling her opening her mouth and giving into the same passion. When they parted, he was breathless. If a single kiss could make him dizzy like that, he couldn't wait for more.

Her eyes wide, she grinned. She was tired, and emotionally drained, and so happy it was scary. He rested his forehead against hers again. They had many things to talk about. Their careers, the rules, how he was willing to die with her, and how she probably would have done the same. But for now, one single thing mattered.

"I love you, Jaz…"

The End.

 **Yep, this fiction is complete. I'm sorry for the time it took me to finish this, but June had been crazy, my daughters had been crazy, between school parties, acting class representation, dance class show, work, let's say I can't wait for the holidays. I'm exhausted!**

 **But since I'm a Braver forever, I'll keep writing, and I'll be working on the next chapter of Breath!**

 **Thank you so much for the support, the comments, and your kindness because I know my English is far from perfect!**


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